Communities Within a community, species are identified based on their role within a community: niche 3 Major Niches Producers Consumers Decomposers

Producers: All autotrophs. These convert unusable energy(solar) into usable (chemical) energy via the process of photosynthesis. EX: all plants, algae, photosynthetic bacteria Note: chemosynthetic bacteria are producers for the communities where no sunlight penetrates around volcanic vents deep in the ocean

Consumers Consume energy by “eating/absorbing” other producers and consumers. All Heterotrophs are consumers Niches: Herbivores, Omnivores, Carnivores, Scavengers, Parasites, to name a few

Decomposers AKA: Detrivores Return organic matter to environment. Major decomposers are the bacteria and fungi However, some insects and organisms like earthworms can be considered decomposers

Relationships in Communities Food Chains: single feeding relationship.

Decomposition occurs at any level of the chain C,H,O,N,P Light energy Grass (Producer) Mouse (Primary Consumer) Fox (Secondary Consumer) Mountain Lion (Tertiary Consumer) Apex Carnivore Decomposition occurs at any level of the chain C,H,O,N,P Light energy Photosynthesis Chemical energy carbohydrates SAND CASTLE

Food Chains All food chains must begin with producers. Arrows  represent flow of energy. Trophic levels identify consumers. Generally primary consumers are herbivores. Depending upon the food chain, some organisms can occupy different trophic levels. Detrivores can occupy all trophic levels

Food Webs Complex feeding relationships. Illustrates many food chains Mt. Lion Complex feeding relationships. Illustrates many food chains Hawk Fox Snake Goose Deer Grasshopper MOUSE Grass Moss

Which organism seems to be the most important to this food web? HAGH Which organism seems to be the most important to this food web?

Keystone Species Plays a critical role in maintaining the overall balance in an ecological community. Stability of the community depends upon species. Keystone can occupy any level or niche.

Which organism seems to be the most important to this food web? Krill!

Communities: Groups of populations interacting within the same habitat. Usually as feeding relationshipsflow of energy.

Food Web Activity *Each producer used twice *4 of 10 chains must be 4 consumers or greater *All consumers must be used at least once

Food Web Activity

Endothermic: heterotrophic consumers that maintain a warm body temp Ectothermic: heterotrophic consumers that do not maintain warm body temp Energy pyramid: diagram that illustrates the flow of energy in a food chain/community Biomass: measure of the total amount of biological material that can be supported Producers convert energy to a form that can be used by consumers Sun-glucose-glycogen Less energy is lost, more is available to the next level Illustrates most feeding relationships, so, can be a more accurate representation of a stable/unstable community LESS Efficient: More energy is lost to heat, less can be stored to support the next level C Everything dies, detrivores enable the cycling of mater(C,H,O,N,P) C C Energy is lost at each level either to maintain the organisms or lost as heat so eventually there is not enough energy to support more life at higher levels P AWV Lower level herbivores/apex carnivores

Food Web Activity

Grass (Producer) Mouse (Primary Consumer) Fox (Secondary Consumer) Mountain Lion (Tertiary Consumer)